The internationally recognized Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact was created in 2010 by Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Palm Beach counties to coordinate and collaborate on climate change action across county lines and is a leading example of regional-scale climate action.
“Monroe County continues to be committed to ensuring resilience efforts and remaining in the forefront and ahead of the cumulative effects of climate change,” said Haag.
For the past 10 years, Monroe County has been preparing for the implementation of resilience plans and modeling to schedule road adaptations, funding, levels of service, among other things.
During the past decade, Monroe County has taken a leading role in the regional effort to combat climate change and adapt to rising seas. The County is continuing its coordination and activities with the four-county compact.
For the County, planning for climate change and sea-level rise must be integrated into all of our decision-making for a cohesive response. A revised Regional Climate Action Plan was issued and presented at the 2017 Climate Summit held in Fort Lauderdale.
2020 Climate Summit
Monroe County Administrator Roman Gastesi and Chief Resilience Officer Rhonda Haag presented at Tuesday’s 12th Annual Southeast Florida Regional Compact Climate Leadership Summit that was held virtually this year due to COVID-19. The summit is an annual event focused on facilitating climate-related collaboration.
Gastesi spoke with Miami-Dade Deputy County Mayor Jack Osterholt during the “Voices of Leadership: Partnerships and Lessons Learned in Preparing for and Managing Cross-Boundary Risks.” While Miami-Dade and Monroe counties are vastly different in size and population, the counties’ cross-boundary systems – including transportation, water supply, and shared economies – and shared risks, from hurricanes to intensifying flooding, means that partnership is foundational to unearthing the solutions required. The two discussed what they have learned from working across boundaries to build long-term preparedness and resilience, including the challenges and need for partnerships.
Haag provided an update on the countywide roads adaptation study, how the rating of the vulnerability of roads is anticipated to occur, engagement of stakeholders and residents, and what’s next in the “Rising Seas, Raising Roads” segment.